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RACQ calls for Steve Irwin Way duplication to battle traffic

Posted by admin on 10/07/2018

The RACQ is calling for an upgrade to Steve Irwin Way to help traffic dramas on the Bruce Highway. Photo: Nine News BrisbaneMotoring advocate the RACQ has urged the state government to explore options to upgrade Steve Irwin Way.

Motorists on the Bruce Highway on Sunday faced delays of up to two hours after a fatal motorbike accident and the congestion flowed over onto Steve Irwin Way, leaving those heading south at the end of the weekend few options to avoid the traffic.

RACQ spokesman Michael Roth said the highway coped well with traffic in some sections but other areas faced major problems if there were any incidents.

“Our broad view of the Bruce is that it works relatively well in the six-lane section up through Caboolture,” he said.

“Obviously it is a bit of a problem further north of there.”

While the best solution would be to duplicate the road between Caboolture and Caloundra, a shorter-term solution is needed urgently.

“Unfortunately there is not yet any plan to six-lane the section between Caboolture and Caloundra Road,” Mr Roth said.

“Our view on what should happen in the short to medium turn is the state should be looking at duplicating Steve Irwin Way and that can act as an alternative route for part of the Bruce Highway.”

While Steve Irwin Way already takes overflow from traffic on the Bruce Highway and offers an alternative for people who want to avoid the highway all together, Mr Roth said incidents such as Sunday’s crash demonstrated the road could not cope with the capacity it needed.

“The crash (on Sunday) showed (Steve Irwin Way) is of insufficient capacity to be of much use,” he said.

Mr Roth also suggested duplicating the rail corridor between Beerburrum and Nambour could help ease traffic on the highway, with travellers given more options to get between the city and the northern coast.

“The Bruce Highway doesn’t need an accident, it clogs up regularly on long weekends in particular,” Mr Roth said.

“Whenever there is a bit of a holiday rush you see congestion.

“It does work relatively well most days but all it takes is one breakdown, one crash or one little problem and it grinds to a halt.”

Sunday’s crash led to major delays on the Bruce Highway and Steve Irwin Way, with motorists taking extreme measures to avoid sitting on the highway-cum-carpark.

Footage from the Nine News helicopter showed some drivers taking their vehicles off-road and using fire breaks and trailbike paths to get around the gridlocked traffic.

Other drivers were guided the wrong way through the middle of traffic to nearby off-ramps to pursue options on alternative routes.

The accident, in which one motorcyclist died and another was seriously injured, closed both southbound lanes for several hours, leaving the highway at a standstill from Elimbah most of the way north to Caloundra.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.